Police officers had to break into a noisy late-night party after the hosts refused to let them in, a court heard.

Officers were attending Somerset Bridge Recreation Club following complaints the music was too loud on Saturday, February 4, last year, at about 3.50 a.m. People inside stood and laughed after turning down their requests to open the door ? so officers had to force their way in, Magistrates? Court was told yesterday.

Deon Eugene Bassett, 28, is on trial charged with failing to allow Police officers entry to the club, which is popularly known as White Hill Field.

Bassett, who denies the allegation, claims he was not in charge of the club at the time, and had been at the other end of the venue selling drinks tickets when the incident happened. Magistrate Juan Wolffe is to deliver a judgment on the case later this month.

Sgt. Fitz Walkes, who served at Somerset Police Station at the time of the incident, told the court he initially arrived at the club ? where there were about 50 people ? and began asking staff which revellers were members.

After telling vice president Bassett the state of the members? list was ?unacceptable?, Sgt. Walkes said he then went outside to speak to somebody for a minute or two.

He continued: ?When I returned to the entrance of the club, Mr. Bassett had closed the door. I requested to be allowed into the club, but I was denied entry.

?No one opened the door. Someone said ?you are not coming back in?.?

Sgt. John Clutterbuck, of the Police Support Unit, told the court he went to help Sgt. Walkes. ?I went to the entrance of the club,? he said. ?I tried the door. However, it had been locked from the inside.

?I could hear loud music coming from inside the club and I could see a number of people through a glass panel.

?I took my baton and knocked loudly on the door a number of times. The people that you could see in the hallway turned and appeared to look in my direction. I could see them laughing, but nobody came to the door.?

Sgt. Clutterbuck said he broke into the building by ripping a panel away from a boarded-up window.

He said when he got inside many people were drinking and he could smell cannabis.

Defending himself, Bassett, of Spring Benny Road, Sandys Parish, said he told Sgt. Walkes he would turn down the music and had asked what procedure he needed to follow so non-members could stay at the party. ?I went to the front door and told them what had to be done,? he said. ?I went back to sell the tickets. I don?t know what happened with the door being closed. I know nothing about that.?

Bassett said officers caused ?chaos? after entering the premises. ?The Police barged everybody into the hallway,? he said.

In cross examination, when Crown counsel Cindy Clarke suggested Bassett was in charge during the evening, he replied: ?I wasn?t in charge ? I was there as vice president.?

Ms Clarke suggested Bassett had been at the door when officers were denied entry.

But he responded: ?That?s not true at all. I was serving drinks tickets for my club.?

P.c. Scott Devine, Bermuda Police Service?s liquor licensing officer, told the court Bassett had been one of two people responsible for the day to day running of the club.

Mr. Wolffe adjourned the matter until January 25 for judgment.